Rookie trainer Albert Mules loving ride with Cabalo Escuro

By Jordan Gerrans

Albert Mules is still pinching himself about how well his training career has started.

With his first official runner in late November of last year, the former apprentice jockey has a stunning strike-rate – training four winners from just eight starters – with two others running into the money.

“It is pretty good isn’t it,” Mules said with a chuckle.

The 58-year-old and his in-form mare Cabalo Escuro will be out to extend that amazing winning run on Tuesday afternoon on their home track in an Open Handicap over 1300 metres.

While Mules has only been officially licensed as a trainer for the last five or so months, he has been around the game for much of his life, as has his family.

While he did not ride in races, he started an apprenticeship many decades ago in Brisbane, riding in trials and track work, but his weight got the best of him before he made his race riding debut.

Mules saw first-hand what his brother the late Roy Mules – a North Queensland racing legend – had to go through to get his weight to a suitable level to ride and he wanted none of that.

Albert rode for trainers such as Lawrie Mayfield-Smith and John Fitzgerald.

“I am a better man on the ground that I was up top,” he said with a laugh.

Cabalo Escuro commenced her racing journey with top Eagle Farm trainer Desleigh Forster and while she won races in the South East of the state, she has certainly found her niche in Mackay.

Since Mules began putting the polish on the All Too Hard mare, she has added four victories to her career tally and has only been beaten once, in which she ran second.

“She is a very nice mare,” Mules said.

He thinks she can be a real player across the 2022 Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.

“She has been going well,” Mules said.

“We have not finished yet either, we will get around the Newmarket here in Mackay and then we will look to the Cleveland Bay in Townsville after that.

“We will just see need to see how she goes against the big boys first.”

Cabalo Escuro has been able to run her opposition into the ground in three of her last four wins, able to lead and she has had more than enough in the tank late to score.

Central Queensland race caller Russell Leonard has used the phrase “walk in the park” twice in her recent victories, such is the way she has been strong to the line while stepping up in grade in recent months.

“I have worked her out, I let her think she is the boss so she is happy and healthy,” Mules said.

“If she is happy, she wins, as she is enjoying her racing at the moment.

“She just keeps improving and I think she will be hard to beat on Tuesday. If she jumps well she should win.”

Mules’ brother Roy, or “Butch” as he was universally known, was a popular member of the racing community in the north before he passed away following a courageous battle with cancer around six years ago. 

Between 1976 and 2012, Butch rode in more than 3,500 races, mostly at Queensland country level, winning 425 races and along the way collecting an army of friends.

Albert is enjoying being back around the horses following his brothers’ passing and not being directly involved in the industry for some time after his riding days.

“I went away, had a family, worked on a few farms and now that the family is older now, I decided to do the horses,” Albert said.

“I was not riding work before taking out my licence again but I was around the stables and giving trainers a hand.”

The Mules barn have recently picked up Our Ariana – a former Peter Fleming galloper – who they have high hopes for.